Starter motor

Abstract

A starter motor of a vehicle is provided and includes a housing having a central longitudinal axis and at least first and second coils disposed within the housing. One of the at least first and second coils is configured to control driveshaft and ring gear engagement and the other one of the at least first and second coils is offset from the central longitudinal axis and configured to control an application of current to a motor disposed to drive rotation of a driveshaft of the vehicle.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A starter motor of a vehicle, comprising:
 a housing having a first end, a second end, and a central longitudinal axis; and 
 at least first and second coils disposed within the housing, the first coil being arranged at the first end, the first coil having a first longitudinal axis and the second coil arranged at the second end, the second coil having a second longitudinal axis that is offset from the first longitudinal axis, 
 one of the at least first and second coils being configured to control driveshaft and ring gear engagement and the one of the first and second longitudinal axes of the other one of the at least first and second coils being offset from the central longitudinal axis and configured to control an application of current to a motor disposed to drive rotation of a driveshaft of the vehicle, wherein an additional space is defined in the second end of the housing formed by the offset, an electrical lead of at least one of the first and second coils being arranged in the additional space. 
 
     
     
       2. The starter motor according to  claim 1 , wherein the housing is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
       3. The starter motor according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second coils are arranged in opposite ends of the housing. 
     
     
       4. The starter motor according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 first and second leads associated with a battery and motor of the vehicle, respectively; and 
 a mag-switch plunger including a conductive element and being disposed to occupy first and second positions at which the conductive element is displaced from and electrically coupled to the first and second leads, respectively, 
 the other one of the at least first and second coils being configured to drive movement of the mag-switch plunger between the first and second positions to control the application of the current to the motor. 
 
     
     
       5. The starter motor according to  claim 4 , wherein the mag-switch plunger is spring-loaded. 
     
     
       6. The starter motor according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 coil leads respectively associated with each of the at least first and second coils; and 
 a terminal assembly to which the coil leads are respectively coupled, the terminal assembly being disposed at one end of the housing. 
 
     
     
       7. The start motor according to  claim 6 , wherein a substantial entirety of the terminal assembly is disposed within an outer diameter of the housing. 
     
     
       8. The starter motor according to  claim 6 , further comprising first and second leads associated with a battery and a motor of the vehicle, wherein the coil leads and the first and second leads are disposed at a same end of the housing. 
     
     
       9. The starter motor according to  claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises a cover through which the coil leads and the first and second leads extend. 
     
     
       10. A starter motor assembly of a vehicle, comprising:
 a drive portion in which a driveshaft, which is drivable by a motor, is disposed for engagement with a ring gear coupled to a vehicle engine; and 
 a controller, comprising a housing having a first end, a second end, and a central longitudinal axis and at least first and second coils each including corresponding first and second longitudinal axes, the first being arranged at the first end and second arranged at the second end, the first and second coils being operably disposed within the housing to control driveshaft and ring gear engagement and to control an application of current to the motor, respectively, the second longitudinal axis of the second coil is offset from the central longitudinal axis and the first longitudinal axis of the first coil, wherein an additional space is defined in the second end of the housing formed by the offset, an electrical lead of at least one of the first and second coils being arranged in the additional space. 
 
     
     
       11. A starter motor assembly of a vehicle, comprising:
 a drive portion in which a driveshaft, which is drivable by a motor, is disposed for engagement with a ring gear coupled to a vehicle engine; and 
 a controller, comprising: 
 a housing having a first end, a second end, and a central longitudinal axis; 
 a drive coil disposed within the housing at the first end, the drive coil having a first longitudinal axis that is substantially coaxially aligned with the central longitudinal axis and configured to drive axial movement of a plunger for controlling the driveshaft and ring gear engagement; and 
 a magnetic-switch coil disposed within the housing at the second end, the magnetic-switch coil having a second longitudinal axis that is offset from the central longitudinal axis and the first longitudinal axis, the magnetic-switch coil being configured to control an application of current to the motor, wherein an additional space is defined in the second end of the housing formed by the offset, a positive lead of at least one of the drive coil and the magnetic-switch coil being arranged in the additional space. 
 
     
     
       12. The starter motor assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the housing is substantially cylindrical and the drive coil and the magnetic-switch coil are arranged in opposite ends of the housing. 
     
     
       13. The starter motor assembly according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 first and second leads associated with a vehicle battery and the motor; and 
 a mag-switch plunger including a conductive element and being disposed to occupy first and second positions at which the conductive element is displaced from and electrically coupled to the first and second leads, respectively, 
 the magnetic-switch coil being configured to drive movement of the mag-switch plunger between the first and second positions to control the application of the current to the motor. 
 
     
     
       14. The starter motor assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the plunger and the mag-switch plunger are each spring-loaded. 
     
     
       15. The starter motor assembly according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 coil leads respectively associated with each of the drive and magnetic-switch coils; and 
 a terminal assembly to which the coil leads are respectively coupled, the terminal assembly being disposed at one end of the housing. 
 
     
     
       16. The start motor assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein a substantial entirety of the terminal assembly is disposed within an outer diameter of the housing. 
     
     
       17. The starter motor assembly according to  claim 15 , further comprising first and second leads associated with a vehicle battery and the motor, wherein the coil leads and the first and second leads are disposed at a same end of the housing. 
     
     
       18. The starter motor assembly according to  claim 17 , wherein the housing comprises a cover through which the coil leads and the first and second leads extend.